WILLIAMSON COUNTY - As long as there have been vehicles traveling the highways and byways of America, there have been sleep-deprived motorists falling asleep at the wheel and causing an accident.

Although sleep deprivation or fatigue is not a new problem for authorities to contend with, it may be an increasing problem.

The most recent incident occurred at 5:50 a.m. Wednesday in Williamson County in the northbound lane of Interstate 57 at the Johnston City exit when a trucker fell asleep at the wheel and ran off the road, striking a bridge abutment.

Cody L. Frederick, 39, of Tennessee, suffered major injuries and was transported to Heartland Regional Medical Center in Marion, where he was listed in stable condition and held overnight for observation.

Frederick is charged with improper lane usage, driving with a suspended license, use of a radar detector and defective brakes.

Master Sgt. Marc Melvin with the state police said the northbound lanes of the interstate remained closed from a little before 6 a.m. to just after 1 p.m. and traffic was detoured onto the Johnston City exit, which worked rather well.

"It was a terrific crash and the driver ended up just a few feet from a concrete pillar," Melvin said. "If he had hit the concrete, he would have died. It's that simple."

Master Sgt. Mike Hooks, also with the state police, said highway hypnosis is common with motorists, particularly those traveling in the late night or early morning hours.

"The key is to use common sense," Hooks said. "When you start feeling like you're in a hypnotic state, stop the car and get out. Walk around and get the blood flowing to different parts of your body. It's all about breaking the mental and physical cycle. If you can, get a cup of coffee and get rejuvenated before you hit the road again."

Though cell phones have gotten a bad reputation for distracting drivers, they can come in handy when drowsiness is a factor.

Dr. Terry Brown, medical director with the sleep disorder center at St. Joseph Memorial Hospital in Murphysboro, said some motorists converse with their spouse or friend on the way home to help them stay awake.

"I would rather they talk on the cell phone, even though it can be a distraction, than fall asleep at the wheel," Brown said.

Brown said most sleep-related accidents occur in the early morning hours between midnight and 4 a.m. - the time of day when normal people are the sleepiest, he said.

"Studies have been done that show a person with a full night of sleep deprivation is equivalent to having an 0.8 alcohol level," Brown said. "In fact, some people are sleepy because of disorders they don't even know they have."

Brown said medications are available to treat sleep disorders. He added that many young people fall victim to sleep-related accidents because they often deprive themselves of sleep and will sometimes combine the consumption of alcohol, a deadly combination.

"In today's society, we don't get enough sleep for the most part. We are too busy burning the candle at both ends," he said.

Greg Lingle, who owns Greg's Truck Service in Goreville, said he employs 12 drivers who typically travel within a 500-mile radius. In past years, travel was even more extensive.

"Fatigue is something that can sneak up on anybody whether you've driven 20 miles or 200 miles," Lingle said. "I tell our drivers that if they get tired, pull over and get some rest. It's better to be late than never get there."

Illinois Department of Transportation spokesman Greg Smothers said there are a variety of different accidents on the interstate. Some are from careless driving. Some are the result of stray animals like deer darting across the highway. And some, he said, are traced to sleep deprivation or fatigue.

"People should take precautions to keep themselves and others safe," Smothers said. "But everyone is trying to get from Point A to Point B in as little time as possible. Some people will drive straight through on longer distances and do things that they may not otherwise do. What that does is lead to accidents."

Smothers said it's especially important for motorists to be alert on the highway as Interstate 57 traffic - from the Interstate 64 exchange near Mount Vernon to the Interstate 24 exchange south of Marion - has increased tremendously in recent years.

Smothers said more than 30,000 vehicles traverse that stretch of road daily and 34 to 38 percent of them are trucks.

john.homan@thesouthern.com 618-997-3356 x15807